Today is the first day of spring. Soon wild birds and animals will be raising their young families. Each year the baby season starts with the bunnies in April. People often discover a nest of young bunnies and think they have been abandoned because there is no mother rabbit in sight. Mother rabbits do not stay with their young the way a mother cat or a mother dog does. Rabbits visit the nest once, maybe twice, a day. The rest of the time the babies are left alone in the nest. If you stumble upon a nest of baby rabbits, please be absolutely sure that the mother is no longer caring for them. If the young appear to be healthy and well-fed leave the nest alone and possibly check on them the next day. Sometimes a nest is disturbed when a person is mowing the grass. If the nest is not completely damaged it can be put back in order and the young rabbits can be returned to the nest. It is best to check on the young to make sure mother rabbit is continuing to care for her babies.
Baby squirrels and rabbits are often the victims of cat/dog attacks. Bite wounds can be very serious for these little creatures. Often times the wound or puncture that is visible is just the tip of the iceberg. Babies that have suffered a cat or dog attack need to receive antibiotic treatment and the wounds must be cleaned and possibly sutured.
Over the years I have learned that momma birds are very smart. Many of the baby birds I receive are found on the sidewalk or on the ground below the tree where the nest is. If you know for certain where the nest is, you can put the baby bird back in the nest and watch to make sure the baby stays put in the nest this time. Many of the tiny babies that are found on the ground do not survive. I believe that in a lot of these cases there is something wrong with that baby and that's why it was removed from the nest. That's part of the survival of the fittest.
This way the parents can focus all their attention on the healthy, thriving babies. Sometimes the larger, older babies will push the tiny ones from the nest. I am always amazed at these tiny creatures and the fact that their lives are held inside such fragile, transparent skin.
Please remember that not all babies need to be rescued. If you find a baby bird or animal that you believe needs help, please call us at Canyon Lake Veterinary Hospital.
